The Gumball Horror Theater
by SuperKamiGuruFTW
Summary: Hello I'm SuperKamiGuruFTW and I'll be your host. This is a series that centers on different characters and locations in TAWOG, including a haunted house, an insane asylum, a campsite, and even in a shed. So if you like horror than I invite you to this theater


**Author's Note: Ah Halloween one of the best times of the year. A time when people dress up in costumes to get candy, where everyone will go out and scare people, and the day of my birth. Oh yes this is a great day. So I started my own little series that I will be writing for once a year I call it The Gumball Horror Theater. In this series I'll be combining some of the scariest movies ever made with the show The Amazing World of Gumball. I think it will thrill you! It may shock you! It might even horrify you. So if any of you feel that you do not wish to see what this series has in store and you wish to leave. Now's your chance! But for those of you have decided to stay well I warned you! So without further delay here is the first installment to this series. It has been called one of the scariest movies ever made. A movie I like to call**

THE EXORCIST

Pickaxes and shovels welled into the air as hundreds of excavators tear at the desert. We find ourselves in Northern Iraq where hundreds of Iraqi workmen dig for ancient findings in the desert. We then follow a young blue cat running bare foot over the rocky mounds. He comes to a stop to see an aging man who is also digging. "لقد وجدت شيئا ... قطع صغيرة." the boy said.

"أين؟" the man named old man asked.

"عند قاعدة التل." the boy replied running off and the old man pulls himself to his feet to follow. The old man walks to the base of the mound where another man who looks in command is there to greet him.

"بعض الاكتشافات مثيرة للاهتمام. مصابيح، رؤوس سهام، والنقود المعدنية..." the man said. The old man then picks up an old pendant and holds it up.

"هذا أمر غريب!" the old man said as he hands it to the man and dusts the pendant and takes a look.

"لا من نفس الفترة." the man said. The old man then reaches into a hole in the rock, moving and re-arranging small rocks to see what he can find. He grabs a pickaxe and scrapes out a small sculpted piece of rock crushed into another. The old man then takes a dust brush from the man's pocket and brushes some dust from the sculpted rock. As the dust is swept it revealed a face. The old man recognises it and looks worried. He breaks the sculpted rock away from the ordinary rock and takes a good look at it.

A Few Minutes Later

We find ourselves at a market where an Iraqi man walks through the noisy crowd with a tray and up to the old man's table. He puts the drink on the table and watches as the old man opens a small pendant full of pills and puts one into his mouth. The old man was then trembling with fear as he finishes his drink. He puts the glass down and looks at the people around him. Soon the man with the tray comes back to the old man's table and picks up the glass.

"شيء آخر؟" a man holding a tray asked.

"لا شكرا." said the old man as he stands up and looks at the bus boy. We then see a group of workers hitting their hammers on an anvil. The old man walks in their direction but stops as he sees one of the workers stop work to wipe his brow. When the worker makes eye contact with the old man we see that the worker has one eye without pigment, bleached white as if it has rolled backward. The old man stares at him and then walks on.

Later

We see a clocks pendulum swinging, uncovered sculpted rocks of all kinds and a man sitting at a desk writing up the report on what they found. The old man picks up the pendant he found and then the rock head he found and takes a look. "الشر ضد الشر. الرجل على طاولة تبدو مرتبكة." the old man said.

"والد ..." the orange puppet man said. We then see the clocks pendulum stop over the old man's shoulder. He turns around and walks toward it. After looking he sits down beside it while the orange man at the desk stands up. "أتمنى لكم لم يكن لديك للذهاب."

"هناك شيء لا بد لي من القيام به." the old man with the big nose said. The two men then head outside where they shake hands and hug. The old man then walks away and a group of people bow in a row. As the old man keeps going he walks through the noisy, crowded alley way and exits through the other side. As he exits he approaches a tunnel, in the distance we can here a bell ringing quite fast. As the old man gets closer to the tunnel the bell gets louder. When he reaches the tunnel a horse and cart flies out in front of him, aboard the cart was a frightened old women. The old man looks around as if he was lucky to survive.

The old man then arrives back at that dig site in a small jeep. As he pulls up two armed guards rush out. When they see who it is the old man with a big nose gives them a wave and the guard slowly walk back to their quarters. The old man walks up the rocky mound and sees a huge statue of the demon Pazuzu, which has the head of the small rock he earlier found. He climbs to a higher point to get a closer look. When he reaches the highest point he looks at the statue dead on. He then turns his head as we hear rocks falling and sees a guard standing behind him. He turns again when he hears two dogs savagely attacking each other. The noise is something of an evil nature. He looks again at the statue.

A Few Hours Earlier

We find ourselves in Georgetown where a small light is turned on in a house. We then find a woman named Nicole Watterson, a woman in her mid forties, mother and famous actress. She is lying in her bed while wearing night-clothes. She was reading lines from a script but is disturbed by a scratching noise that sounds like its coming from outside of her bedroom. She looks over her shoulder to hear for it again. When it does happen again she climbs out of bed, puts her robe on, walks toward the bedroom door and exits to the hall. Nicole walks through the dark hallway toward her daughter's room, as she passes the attic hatch she hears the noise again and it sounds like it's coming from the attic. She walks into her daughter room and sees that the window is wide open and Anais was on top of her bed covers. Nicole walks in and shivers due to the cold night air through the open window. As she approaches the window another scratch is heard from the attic. Nicole takes no notice and closes the window. She then walks round Anais's bed and puts the covers back over her, she tucks her in and strokes her face. "I sure do love you." Nicole whispered as she kissed her daughter and turns away.

The Next Day

We find Nicole heading into the kitchen in her robe, with a pen in her mouth and her script in her hands. "Morning." the blue feline said to her maid.

"Good morning Mrs. Watterson." Karren said.

"How are you today?" Nicole asked.

"Fine thank you." Karren replied.

"That's good." Nicole said as she puts the script and pen on the table and lifts the coffee pot to pour her self a mug. Karren offers to do it for her but Nicole refuses. "It's okay I got it, thanks." that made Karren return to making breakfast while Nicole's butler Bert walks in.

"Good morning Madame." Bert said greeting her.

"Good morning Bert. Oh Bert, we've got rats in the attic you better get some traps." Nicole said.

"Rats?" he asked.

"Uh huh. Fraid so." Nicole said as she heads to the fridge with her cup of coffee.

"But it's clean?" he protested.

"All right then we've got clean rats." Nicole said taking a carton of milk out of the fridge and pours some into her coffee.

"No. No rats." Bert said.

"I just heard them Bert." Nicole said. All he did was shrugs his shoulders

"Maybe plumbing?" Bert said. Nicole then puts the carton of milk away.

"Yeah or maybe rats now will you just get those traps." she asked.

"Yes, I go now." Bert said leaving.

"Well don't go now Bert the stores aren't open yet." Nicole said while Bert picks up a huge jar and heads out the door.

"I'll go see." Bert said as he leaves the room.

"THEY'RE CLOSED!" Karren shouted.

Later

We find ourselves at the building of Washington University where a film crew was making a movie set on campus. Lights, camera's, crew members all over the place. A group of crew members are surrounding one man, the director Burke Dennings, a man with a blue mustache and several colour scheme. Burke didn't respond to any of them until he hears a voice calling from a trailer. "Burke? Oh Burke?" Nicole called.

"Is this scene really essential Burke?" a member of the crew asked. Lewis turns to see Nicole walking toward him. He walks to her. "Can you just consider on whether or not we can do without it?" he asked but Burke just ignored him while Nicole walk up to Nate with her script in hand.

"Burke take a look at this damn thing it just doesn't make sense." Nicole said.

"Why it's perfectly plain, you're the teacher at the college, you don't want the building torn down." Burke explained.

"C'mon I can read for Christ sake." Nicole said.

"Well what's wrong?" Burke asked.

"Well why are they tearing the building down?" Nicole asked.

"Shall we summon the writer? He's in Paris I believe." Burke said.

"Hiding?" Nicole said while in crowd of people standing out is a young, fluffy, handsome Jesuit Priest.

"Fucking." Burke said. Nicole bursts into laughter and hugs Burke as the crowd including the priest burst into laughter. They stop as soon as a crew member with a clapper board shows up.

"Scene 39, hotel, take 4!" a crew member said as he claps the board. The crowd of movie extras cheer and chant as an actor with a mega phone plays his part. Nicole is being touched up with make up before she makes her appearance.

"Okay Action!" the assistant director said. She walks toward the set getting into character.

An actor with a micro-phone starts saying his lines. "Has there been enough killing." as soon as the actor says each line, the crowd cheer. Nicole walks into the crowd of extras, while Burke is on the directors chair smiling and laughing. Nicole reaches the guy with the mega-phone and she takes the mega-phone from him.

"Wait a minute, please, hold it! Hey c'mon we're all concerned with human rights for god's sake, but the kids who wanna get an education have a right too!" she said with the mega-phone the crowd cheered to that. "Can you understand it's against your own principles for gods sake." The crowd cheer. "You can't, you can't accomplish anything by sending kids out..." The crowd cheered. While she was talking a young priest was walking away from the campus. "Order! Order! If you wanna effect any change you'll have to do it within the system..." The crowd cheered while the young priest continues to walk from the set.

"Okay cut! That's a rap!"

A Few Minutes Later

We find Nicole going down the stairs walking toward a car.

"I think I'll walk home tonight Mike." Nicole said.

"All right." Nicole then hands her leather case to him.

"And take that and drop it by my house." She walks off and waves goodnight to the crew across the road. As she turns the corner and walks down the road, Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells begins to play. She walks through the leaf covered street on Halloween and sees a group of kids in costume run past her. She carries on walking and sees to nuns waking in the wind, with their gowns blowing. She approaches the local chapel and over hears a voice.

"There's not a day in my life when I don't feel like a fraud. I mean priests, doctor, lawyers I've talked to them all, I don't know anyone who hasn't felt that." the man said. Nicole sees that's it's the young Jesuit who was at the campus earlier, and that he is talking to another priest. Nicole doesn't hear the whole conversation and leaves.

Later

We find Nicole's house sitter and nanny, Sharon, a yellow girl with blue hair sitting at a type writer eating an apple.

"Hello?" Nicole said as she entered the house.

"In here!" Sharon shouted. Nicole then walked into the dining room.

"Hi" Nicole said.

"Hi, how'd your day go?" Sharon asked.

"Oh not to bad, kinda like the Walt Disney version of the Ho Chi Minh story, but other than that it was terrific." Nicole said picking up her mail. "What have we got here?"

"Here." Sharon said giving her a letter.

"Oh great, anything else?" Nicole asked.

"And you got an invitation." Sharon said.

"What's this?" Nicole asked.

"Dinner at the White House." Sharon replied.

"You're kidding me. What is it a big party or something?" Nicole asked.

"Just five or six people." Sharon said.

"No kidding." Nicole said walking toward the cabinet and pours herself a drink.

"Hi mom." a pink rabbit said running into the room to hug and kiss Nicole.

"What did you do today?" the blue cat asked.

"Um...Stuff." Anais replied.

"What kind of stuff?" Nicole asked.

"Well, me and Sharon played a game in the back yard, and we had a picnic down by the river." Anais explained while Nicole sat down. "Oh mom, you should have seen this man came along on this beautiful grey horse." she explained. "Wasn't it pretty?" she asked Sharon.

"Really, what kind was it a mair or guilding?" Nicole asked.

"Think it was a guilding. It was grey. Oh it was so beautiful, the guy let me ride it all around." she explained.

"You're kidding?" Nicole said.

"Yeah for about half an hour." Sharon said.

"It was so nice, oh I loved it. Oh mom can't we get a horse?" Anais asked.

"Well, not while we're in Washington." Nicole said.

"Oh..." Anais said getting depressed.

"We'll see when we get home okay." Nicole said.

"When can I have one?" Anais asked.

"We'll see Anais." she replied as she turns to Sharon. "Now about those party invitations..." Anais then opens the jar of candy for the trick or treaters and takes some candy. She then runs of and Nicole chases her. "Anais come back here." it didn't take long until Nicole finally catched her and she then wrestle her to the floor making Anais start giggling constantly. "All right give it up, give it up, now! You'll be sorry."

* * *

A train is screaming through a subway station. When the train goes past we see the young Jesuit priest standing at the platform. As things get quiet he hears and Irish voice behind him. "Fa-dah! Can you help an old altar boy? I'm a Cat-lick!" the homeless man asked as the train goes past illuminating the homeless guys face. All the young priest did was walk away.

Later

The young priest walks down a garbage infested, New York city street. Kids making noise and jumping on cars are the only source of noise. The young priest walks up a porch way and enters a building. He enters the apartment, turns on the light and takes off his jacket, and his collar. "Momma?" the fluffy man said. He walks into the living room where an old woman sits listening to a radio. "Momma?" He leans over the chair. "Momma?" The old woman stands up with joy.

"Stewie! Steve!" They greet each other in Greek as Mrs. Small hugs him. "I'm so happy to see you."

"You look good." Steve said.

"I'm all right." His mother said

"How's your leg?" Steve asked.

"How about you Huey? Are you all right?" Mrs. Small asked

"I'm fine mom, I'm fine." He responded. Soon he was eating his supper and his mom was rocking in her chair with the radio on still playing in the background.

"Your Uncle John stopped by to visit me." she said.

"Oh really, when?" he asked.

"Last month." She replied. After eating he was putting a bandage around his mother's leg.

"Is that too tight?" Steve asked.

"No." his mother replied.

"Now momma you have to stay off it, you can't keep go up and down those stairs you have to give it rest." Steve said.

"Okay" Mrs. Small said.

"Momma I can take you somewhere to a place where you wouldn't be alone. There'd be people around. You know you won't have to sit here listening to the radio." That made Mrs. Small say something in Greek.

"You understand me, this is my house, and I'm not going no place." she shouted. Hugo then stands up and lights a cigarette. "Stewie, you worry for something?"

"No momma." he replied.

"You are not happy. Tell me what is the matter?" she asked.

"Momma, I'm all right, I'm fine, really I am." he said. As time passes Steve's mother finally goes to sleep and Hugo turns off the lights in the bedroom. He puts on his uniform back on, puts some money on the table and turns up the radio so when he leaves it doesn't wake his mother. He kisses her and walks out of the apartment.

* * *

We find Anais in the basement making a model. "Here it comes...There!" she said holding up a clay model of an orange bird while which caused her and Nicole who was heading down the stairs to laugh.

"Oh look at that." Nicole said.

"You like it?" the bunny asked.

"Oh it's so funny." Nicole said as she takes it and put's it on a shelf. "I better put him over here to dry though. He's still wet." Anais then walks over to the ping-pong table and bounces a ping-pong ball. By the shelf Nicole picks up a ouiji board. "Hey, where'd this come from?"

"I found it." Anais replied.

"Where?" Nicole asked.

"The closet!" Anais replied as Nicole walks toward the ping-pong table with the Ouija board in hand.

"You've been playing with it?" the mother asked.

"Yeah." the daughter asked.

"You know how?" the cat asked.

"Here I'll show you." Anais said as she places the board down on the table. Nicole drags a chair over and sits down.

"Wait a minute you need two." Nicole said.

"No you don't. I do it all the time." Anais said.

"Oh yeah, well let's both play." Nicole said. The pointer then pulls itself away from Nicole. "You really don't want me to play huh?"

"No I do, Captain Howdy said no." Anais said.

"Captain who?" Nicole asked confused.

"Captain Howdy." Anais said.

"Who's Captain Howdy?" Nicole asked.

"You know, I make the questions and he does the answers." Anais explained.

"Oh, Captain Howdy..." Nicole said finally realizing.

"He's nice." Anais said.

"Oh I bet he is." Nicole said.

"Here I'll show you." Anais places the magnifier on the board and closes her eyes. "Captain Howdy, Do you think my mom's pretty? Captain Howdy? Captain Howdy that isn't very nice."

"Well, maybe he's sleeping." Nicole said.

"You think?" Anais asked.

Later

We find Anais lying in her bed looking at a magazine which has her and Nicole on the cover while Nicole is tucking Anais in. "Anais, why are you reading that?" Nicole asked taking it away.

"Cause I like it." Anais replied.

"It's not even a good picture. Looks to mature." Nicole said.

"I wouldn't talk." Anais said.

"Oh you wouldn't talk, well I didn't have my make up man there." Nicole said sitting down on Anais's bed leaning over her. "Just gotta get this eye-lash off of you." Nicole then tries to get an eye lash from Regan's eye lid. "No I didn't get it." Nicole keeps trying but finally gets it. "What are we gonna do on your birthday, isn't that nice it's on a Sunday this year, what can we do?"

"I don't know" Anais replied.

"Well what would you like to do? Got any ideas?" Nicole asked. Anais just shakes her head. "Let me think, let me think, what can we do? Hey you know we never finished seeing all the sights in Washington, the Lee Mansion, shall we to do that? Go sight-seeing. If it's a nice day."

"Yeah" Anais said nodding.

"Okay. And tomorrow night, I'll take you to a movie, okay?" Nicole said.

"Oh I love you." Anais said hugging her mother.

"I love you Annie. We'll have a good day yeah?" Nicole asked.

"You can bring Mr. Dennings if you like." Anais suggested.

"Mr. Dennings?" the cat said confused.

"Well you know it's okay." Anais said.

"Well thank you very much but why on earth would I want to bring Burke on your birthday?" Nicole asked.

"You like him." Anais replied.

"Yeah I like him. Don't you like him? Hey what's going on? What is this?" Nicole asked.

"Your not gonna marry him are you?" Anais asked.

"Oh my god, you kidding, me marry Burke Dennings don't be silly, of course not." Nicole said.

"What?" Anais said.

"Where'd you ever get an idea like that?" Nicole asked.

"But you like him." Anais said.

"Course I like him, I like pizzas to but I'm not gonna marry one." Nicole said.

"Do you not like him like daddy?" Anais asked.

"Oh Anais I love your daddy. I'll always love your daddy. Burke just comes around here a lot because he's lonely, don't got nothing to do." Nicole explained.

"Well I heard differently." Anais said.

"Oh you did. What did you hear?" Nicole asked.

"I don't know, I just thought." Anais replied.

"Well your thinking's not so good." Nicole said.

"How do you know?" Anais said.

"Cause Burke and I are just friends. Okay, really." Nicole said.

"Okay." Anais replied. Nicole then kisses Anais. "Goodnight."

* * *

We find Steve Small walking away from the bar with two beers. He sits at a table and puts one beer in front of the president of the university. The bar is full of students and was playing loud music. "It's my mother Lewis. She's alone I never should have left her. At least in New York I'd be nearer, I'd be closer." Steve explained to the furry slug.

"Could see about a transfer Steve." Brown said.

"I need reassignment Nigel, I want out of this job. It's wrong, it's no good." Steve explained.

"You're the best we've got." Nigel said.

"Am I really? It's more than psychiatry and you know that Lewis, some of their problems come down to faith, their vocation, the meaning of there lives and I can't cut it anymore. I need out, I'm unfit. I think I've lost my faith Lewis." Small explained.

The Next Day

We find Nicole and Anais driving through the streets of Washington. They were both laughing and joking around. In Lee Mansion Nicole was walking while Anais is running around the huge pillars. Nicole takes pictures of Anais as she poses for the camera. They soon stop to watch a soldier march. They both look at a tomb of an unknown soldier. "Mom, why do people have to die?" Anais asked. Nicole looks at her not knowing how to answer.

"People get tired." Nicole responded.

"Why does God let us get tired?" Anais said.

"God gets lonesome for us, Annie. He wants us back." Nicole replied

Later

We find Nicole on the phone while Anais over hears the phone call with her big ears. "Hello? Yes this is Mrs. Watterson...Operator you have got to be kidding I have been on this line for twenty minutes." Nicole said as she turns to Sharon. "Jesus Christ, can you believe this, he doesn't even call his daughter on her birthday for christ sake."

"Maybe the circuit is busy?" Sharon suggested.

"Oh circuit my ass, he doesn't give a shit!" Nicole said.

"Why don't you let me?" Sharon asked reaching for the phone.

"No I've got it Sharon, it's all right." she said as she gets back on the phone "Yes...No, Operator don't tell me there's no answer, it's the Hotel Excelcia in Rome would you try it again please and let it ring...Hello? Operator you've given me the number four times...What did you do, take an illiteracy test to get that job for Christ sake." she soon became outraged. "NO DON'T TELL ME TO BE CALM GOD DAMN IT! I'VE BEEN ON THIS FUCKING LINE FOR TWENTY MINUTES." Anais just goes to her bed and takes off her shoes.

A Few Hours Later

It's dark outside and we find Nicole a sleep in her bed. But is awoken by the phone ringing. She clubs her hand on the receiver and picks it up bringing it close to her head. "Yeah? You're kidding me? I thought I just went to bed...Uh huh...What are we doing scene sixty-one?" she asked turning on the lights. "Okay, just remind him about that blue belt huh?" She puts the phone down and rolls over to find Anais laying next to her. "What are you doing here?"

"My bed was shaking, I can't get to sleep." Anais said.

"Oh, honey." Nicole said. Nicole walks out of her room tying the cord on her robe. She walks toward the attic and looks up as a crashing noise comes from the attic. She walks round to the entrance of the attic and pulls the steps down with a pole. She pushes the light switch but nothing happens, so she lights a candle and climbs the steps as Anais looks on from Nicole's bed.

When Nicole finally reaches the attic, she walks around in the darkness, knocking things over and looking for what is making the crash. She looks for the rat traps to see if any rats have been caught but all of them remain in tact with the lumps of cheese still in place. Nicole hears the crash again and follows the sound, as she walks through the junk her candle blows up. Then she hears something. A voice. Nicole turns around to see Bert standing on the steps of the entrance shining a flash-light toward her. "There is nothing." Bert said.

"Oh Bert, Jesus Christ Bert, don't do that." Nicole said.

"Very sorry, but you see, no rats!" he asked.

"No rats. Thanks a lot that's terrific." she said.

The Next Day

We find an elderly bishop, walking across the campus carrying two large bouquet flower pots. He walks up to the entrance of the chapel and enters. The bishop walks into the chapel, and walks to the aisle. When he reaches the aisle he bows and then approaches the altar. He places one of the bouquets in front of one statue, but as he turns he walks very slowly and we see him in shock as he gasps. It's the statue of the Virgin Mary, which has been horribly desecrated, by being given a clay penis and pointing clay breasts.

* * *

We find Mr. Small walking down a corridor being followed by his Uncle. "The edema affected her brain, you understand Huey? She don't let no doctor come near her. She was all the time screaming, even talking to the radio." the uncle said.

"You should have called me the minute it happened." Steve said.

"Listen, regular hospital not going to put up with her Stewie, understand? So we give her a shot and bring her here, till the doctors fix up her leg, then we take her out Stewie, two or three months and she's out good as new." Steve's uncle said. They approach an office and Hugo's cloud uncle walks in to speak to the nurse. "Miss?"

"Yes?" the bandage said.

"We want to see Mrs. Small." Steve's uncle said.

"Do you have an appointment?" the nurse asked.

"Yes" he replied.

"Are you a relative?" she asked.

"Yes I am her brother, he's the son" the cloud man said.

"Just a minute." the nurse said as she grabs a set of keys and writes something in a note-book. As time passes Steve was just staring in the window of the ward. He's see's all sorts of people, all with mental problems.

"You know it's funny. If you wasn't a priest you'd be famous psychiatrist now on Park Avenue, your mother she'd be living in a penthouse instead of here." the uncle said. The nurse unlocks the door and opens it. Steve looks at his uncle. "You go in Stewie. I wait for you outside." Hugo walks in and leaves his Uncle behind.

"You'll find Mrs. Small on the last bed on the left hand side." the nurse said. As Steve enters the room, a few of the patients rush toward him. Two of them grab him, as the nurse tries to get them away. Steve barges them out of his way only to have another patient rush into him and take his collar. The nurse takes her away as bed bound patients look on with arms out stretched. Hugo approaches his mother's bed.

"Momma? It's Stewie momma." Mrs. Small slowly turns her eyes to him.

"Stewie. Why they did this to me Stewie? Why?" she asked. Steve then rushes to comfort his mother.

"Momma, I'm gonna take you outta here momma." Steve said. Mrs. Small struggles to turn away from him. "Momma I'm gonna take you home." Mrs. Small then shouts at him in Greek as Steve tries to comfort her. "Momma, everything's gonna be alright momma, I'm gonna take you home!"

* * *

We find Steve talking to his Uncle face to face. "Couldn't you have put her some place else?" Hugo asked.

"Like what? Private hospital? Who got the money for that Huey? You?" the uncle asked.

* * *

We find Steve in Georgetown taking his frustration out on a punch bag. He throws a few hard punches before stopping for breath.

* * *

We find the house is lit up as a party is going on inside. Many people are at the party enjoying themselves, talking, laughing, eating. Music playing and people having a good time. Burke is sitting on a couch with two people beside him, he's drunk and sat down twirling his finger around in his drink. "There seems to be an alien pubic hair in my Gin." he said.

"I beg your pardon?" the astronaut asked.

"Never seen it before in my life. Have you?" Burke said. While he's talking more people are having fun, Anais laughing and Father Bob, a young banana priest who is talking to the same guy Burke was.

"Well actually Father, we're quite comfortable up there, at least compared to the Gemini and Mercury program. So they were tight for space, see we've got about two-hundred and ten cubic feet so we can move around." the astronaut said.

"Listen, if you ever go up there again will you take me along?" the banana asked. Causing the astronaut to laugh a little.

"What for?" he said.

"First banana missionary on mars." Bob said laughing. While they are talking Burke who is approaching Bert, who is carrying a tray of drinks.

"Tell me, was it public relations you done for the Gestapo or community relations?" he asked.

"I'm Swiss." the butler said.

"Yes of course. Never went bowling with Goebbels either I suppose ah?" that made Bert walks away. "Nazi bastard." While he's...doing that. Nicole who is talking to Father Bob.

"Over behind the church, you know where I mean over there, it's a red brick wing?" Nicole said.

"St. Mike's." Bob said.

"What goes down there? I mean who's the priest I keep seeing, he's there all the time. He has black hair and he's very intense looking?" she asked.

"Steve Small." Bob said.

"Small." Nicole said.

"That's his office back of St. Mike's. He's our psychiatric counsellor. He had a pretty rough knock last night poor guy, his mother passed away. She was living by herself and I guess she was dead a couple of days before they found her." Bob explained while Burke is once again taunting Bert.

"Cunting Hun! Bloody damn butchering Nazi pig!" Burke said. Bert lunges at Burke and grabs him by the throat.

"Bastard! I will kill you." Bert said stranggling him.

"Bert!" Nicole shouted as she, Sharon and Karren pull Bert away from Burke. Karren then takes him into another room.

"You fiend!" Bert said as Burke just laughs and claps his hands.

"What's for dessert?" Burke asked.

* * *

We find Anais tucked in bed with her eyes closed. Nicole walks in to her room and pulls the covers up to her shoulders. "Are you asleep?" Nicole asked. There is no reply so Nicole kisses her and leaves. As soon as Nicole is gone Anais's eyes suddenly open.

Nicole and Sharon are trying to help a very drunk Burke to the front door while he is trying to mumble a song. Sharon opens the front door for him. "Listen Burke, your car is on the curb. Luis is waiting-" Burke hugs her. Chris looks confused and hugs him back. Burke pulls away and points his finger as if he wants to say something, but he forgets. "What honey?" Nicole asked.

"Fuck it." Burke said as he walks off and Nicole and Sharon close the door and return to the party. As they enter the room Father Bob is sitting at the piano while everyone is singing songs.

"Hi Nicole. Great party." Bob said.

"Yeah, don't stop. Keep going." Nicole said.

"Listen, I don't need any encouragement, but my idea of heaven is a solid white night club, with me as the head liner, for all eternity and they love me." Everyone laughs and Father Bob starts to play a song and everyone sings along.

Everyone:  
_Down on the east side of Toyd_

Bob's verse:  
_Toyd, Toyd._

Everyone:  
_Toyd, that's my home, sweet home. Can we both think it's..._

Suddenly Anais appears and Father Bob notices her first. "Hey I, I think we have a guest." Everyone turns to Anais as she stands and stares at the astronaut guy.

"Your gonna die up there." she said. The guy looks puzzled and Anais begins to urinate on the floor.

"Anais, my God honey." Nicole said to her daughter. She then turned to the guests. "I'm sorry, she's been sick. She didn't know what she was saying."

"That's all right." one of the guests said. Nicole then turns to Anais.

"C'mon." Nicole said taking Anais out of the room.

A Few Minutes Later

Anais is in the bath tub, hunched forward, staring in front of her. Nicole has a sponge and is rinsing water on Anais's back. "What made you say that Anais? Do you know sweetheart?" As soon as Anais bath was done Nicole tucks Anais in and walks to the door. "Mother? What's wrong with me?" Anais asked. That made Nicole walk back to her.

"It's just like the doctor said, it's nerves and that's all. Okay, you just take your pills and you'll be fine really. Okay?" Nicole asked. Anais nods her head and Nicole leaves the room. Nicole walks to the stairs where Karren was down stairs cleaning up Anais's mess. "Is it coming out Karren?"

"Yes, I think so." Karren said. Suddenly Anais is screaming along with a constant crashing sound. Nicole rushes to Anais's room.

"Mother! Mother! Mother! Mother help!" Nicole opens the door and gasps in shock. Anais bed is thumping and shaking ferociously.

"Oh my God!" Nicole said in horror.

"Make it stop! What's wrong! I'm scared!" Anais shouted. Nicole jumps on the bed to comfort Anais and they both screamed as the bed continues to rapidly jump around.

* * *

We find ourselves at the University where Father Bob is walking down the long corridor to Steve's room. He reaches the room, knocks and then enters. "Where'd you get the money for the Chivas Regal? The poor box?" Steve asked.

"That's an insult, I got a vow of poverty." Bob responded.

"Where'd you get it then?" Steve asked.

"I stole it." Bob replied.

"I believe you." Steve said.

"College president shouldn't drink. Tends to set a bad example, I figure I saved them from a big temptation." Bob explained.

"Oh Christ! I should have been there and I wasn't there, I should've been there." Steve said regretting it.

"There was nothing you could do. Lye down. C'mon." Bob said as he helps Steve onto his bed, takes his cigarette and takes his shoes off. "Think you can sleep?"

"Are you gonna steal my shoes now?" Hugo asked.

"No, I tell fortunes by reading the crease, now shut up and go to sleep." Bob said. Hugo grabs Father Bob's arm but slowly let's go. Father Bob then turns the light out and heads for the door. "Goodnight Steve."

"Stealing is a sin." Steve said as Bob exits. Slowly Hugo starts to fall asleep. He starts to dream and we see the images that come into his head. There is falling medallion, a swing pendulum in a clock and a running dog. He then sees his mother ascending a subway tunnel to the street, he is on the other side of the street and although there is no sound, he is calling 'Momma' and Mrs. Small is calling "Steve". A white demonic face flashes a split second as Huey starts to run across the street to his mother, but she goes down to the subway. We see the falling medallion again and as it hits the floor, the silence is broken by Anais's screaming.

"I don't want it." Anais shouted as nurses held her down.

"Honey it's to help you." Nicole said while Dr. Butt is preparing an injection.

"I don't want it, I don't want it." Anais shouted. Dr. Butt injects the needle into Anais's arm. She then spits at him. "You fucking bastard!"

Back at the University

We find Steve doing a church service in the chapel. "_Remember O Lord, Thy servant, Mary Small... who has gone before us with the sign of faith, and sleeps the sleep of peace._" he whispered. He then turns to the attendants. "_Lord I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the words and I shall be healed. May the body of Christ bring me ever lasting life._"

* * *

We find Nicole waiting outside Dr. Butt's office. He then emerges from his room. "Well, It's a symptom of a type of disturbance in the chemico- electrical activity of the brain. In the case of your daughter in the temporal lobe, up here in the lateral part of the brain. It's rare, but it does cause bizarre hallucinations and usually just before a convulsion." he explained.

"Convulsion?" Nicole asked.

"The shaking of the bed, that's doubtless due to muscular spasms." the doctor listed.

"Oh no, that was no spasm. I got on the bed, the whole bed was thumping and rising off the floor and shaking. The whole thing, with me on it!" Nicole said.

"Mrs. Watterson the problem with your daughter is not her bed, it's her brain." he said. They both walk into his office.

"So, what causes this?" Nicole asked.

"Lesion, Lesion in the temporal lobe. It's a kind of seizure disorder." the doctor replied.

"Look doc, I really don't understand how her whole personality could change." Nicole said.

"The temporal lobe is very common. Could last for days, even weeks. It isn't rare to find destructive or even criminal behaviour." the doctor explained.

"Hey do me a favour will ya'. Tell me something good." Nicole said.

"Don't be alarmed. If it's a lesion in a way she's fortunate. All we have to do is remove the scar." the doctor explained. While they are talking we find Anais being wheeled on a bed to the operating bench. The nurses place the bed next to the bench and pull the bars down. "Regan, could you sit up and scoot over here?" one of the bandages said. Anais does so and she lays back onto the operating bench. The male nurse pushes a button and the bench begins to move forward. "Anais, I'm just gonna move you down to the table okay?" The bench comes to a halt. "Just for a short time." Both nurses, male and female, loosen Anais's gown around the neck to prep her for the doctor. They place monitors on her arms. "Very sticky." The doctor approaches Anais with a pot of betadine and puts a sponge into the pot.

"Now Anais you're going to feel something, a little bit cold and wet." a doctor explained as he dabs the sponge onto her neck making it a light brown colour. The doctor then picks up a hypodermic needle and moves toward her. We can see Nicole and Dr. Butt in the viewing room. "Okay, now you're gonna feel a little stick here. Don't move." The doctor injects the needle into Anais's neck. "Good." He then picks up a needle head without the syringe, and moves toward her. "Okay, you're gonna feel some pressure here, now don't move." The doctor places the needle into the hole he made with the syringe. Anais is quietly yelping in pain, and Nicole is in pain watching her daughter suffer. The doctor takes the tiny cap from the needle, Anais's clothing squirted with blood and places a tube into the needle's head. We see the blood rush from Anais's neck through the tube. The male nurse then tapes Anais's chin down to prevent her from moving. The nurses then move in a huge machine, two pieces either side of Anais's head and a piece above. The lights fade out in the theatre and we can see Anais's face illuminated by this huge machine above her. "Hook up." We see a finger flip a switch and the machine comes to life. A guy in the view room pushes another button and the machine lets off several loud bangs. In the theatre we can see Anais crying.

Later

In the X-ray room an X-ray slide of Anais's skull appeared on an illuminated screen. Then several more appear one after the other. The person controlling the slides is Dr. Needlemeyer. He examines them with Dr. Butt with him. "There's nothing there. No vascular displacement at all. You want me to run another series?"

"I don't think so. I'd like you to see her again." Dr. Butt said. Then a nurse enters the room.

"Excuse me Doctor. Nicole Watterson is on the phone, she says it's urgent." the nurse said.

"Got some time?" Dr. Butt said.

"Of course." Dr. Needlemeyer replied.

Later

We find ourselves at the house where the doorbell rings and Sharon racing down the stairs to answer it, but no sound could block out Anais's screaming from upstairs. Sharon opens the door. "Dr. Butt?"

"Yes I'm Dr. Butt, this is Dr. Needlemeyer." He said introducing themselves.

"How do you do?" Needlemeyer said.

"Hi Sharon, things have gotten worse since we called you, I better take you up stairs." Sharon said going up the stairs.

"Is she having spasms again?" Dr. Butt asked.

"Yes but they've gotten violent." Sharon replied.

"Did you give her the medication she needed?" Dr. Butt asked.

"Yes." Sharon responded.

"What was that?" Needlemeyer asked.

"Thorazine. Before that it was Ritalin." Dr. Butt explained as they approach Anais's door. Sharon knocks on the door.

"Nicole, Doctors." Nicole immediately opens the door.

"Mrs. Watterson, this is Doctor Needlemeyer." Dr. Butt explained as Anais is lying on her bed, thrashing her torso against the mattress and up again.

"Mother please! Oh please mother make it stop! It's burning, it's burning please mother!" Anais begged as she keeps thrashing.

"Do something please Doctor, Help her!" Nicole begged.

"Make it stop, it really hurts! Mother! Make it..." Anais suddenly growls, her eyes roll back and her throat swells abnormally. She then stands up on the bed.

"Alright then Anais, let's see-"

Anais suddenly back hands Dr. Butt and he flies backward. "Oh Anias!" Nicole said.

"**Keep away! The sow is mine!**" Anais said but with a different voice. She then pulls up her dress and mimes masturbation. "**Fuck me! Fuck Me! Fuck me!**" She falls back and starts to scream again.

"Get my bag!" Dr. Butt ordered as Sharon grabs his bag and Bert slaps Anais to stop her from screaming. That just made Nicole scream with horror in reaction to what she's just seen. Bert and Dr. Needlemeyer then hold Anais down as Dr. Butt prepares a syringe to knock her out.

"Stay away from me! Stay away! Mother!" Anais shouted.

"Hold her steady, Hold her tight!" Dr. Klein injects the needle and Sharon takes Nicole outside. When she closes the door Anais's screaming stops. Nicole and Sharon just sit in the hallway with their heads in hands waiting. Then both the doctors leave Anais's room and approach them. Chris stands. "She's heavily sedated. She'll probably sleep through tomorrow."

"What was going on in there, how could she jump off the bed like that?" Nicole asked.

"Pathological states can induce abnormal strength, accelerated motor performance. For example, a ninety-pound women sees her child pinned under the wheel of a truck, runs out and lifts the wheels half a foot up off the ground. You know the story, same thing here. Same principle, I mean." Dr. Needlemeyer explained.

"So what's wrong with her?" Nicole asked.

"We still think the temporal lobe-"

"Oh. What are you talking about for Christ sake! DID YOU SEE HER OR NOT? SHE'S ACTING LIKE A FUCKING OUT OF HER MIND PSYCHOTIC, OR A SPLIT PERSONALITY, OR..." Nicole stopped trying to calm down.

"There haven't been more than a hundred authenticated cases of so-called split personality, Mrs. Wattersom. Now I know the temptation is to leap to psychiatry, but any reasonable psychiatrist would exhaust the somatic possibilities first." Dr. Butt explained.

"So what's next?" Nicole asked.

"A pneumoencephelogram, I would think, pin down that lesion. It will involve another spinal." Dr. Butt explained.

"Oh, Christ." Nicole said.

"What we missed in the EEG and the arteriogram could conceivably turn up there. At the least, it would eliminate certain other possibilities." Dr. Butt explained.

Later

We find ourselves at a doctors laboratory where a piece of heavy machinery was swivelling We then see Anais strapped to a table, hooked up to the machine yelping in pain. Dr. Butt looked over the lab reports and seems baffled. "Dr. Needlemeyer says the X-rays are negative. In other words normal." Dr Butt said. Nicole just sighs. "Do you keep any drugs in your house?"

"No. Of course not, nothing like that." Nicole said.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Well of course I'm sure. I'd tell you. Christ, I don't even smoke grass." She replied.

"Are you planning to be home soon? Elmore, I mean." Dr. Butt asked.

"No. I'm building a new house. The old one's been sold. I was going to take Anais to Europe for a while, after she finished school here. Why do you ask?" she said.

"I think it's time we started looking for a psychiatrist." Dr. Butt said.

Later

We find ourselves at 'M' Street and 36th were Nicole was driving her car. As she continues to head home she sees a crowd gathered by the steep steps beside her house, and an ambulance is pulling out into traffic as police car lights were flashing. Nicole rounds off the bridge on to Prospect street, the ambulance pulls out and then gets ahead of her with its siren wailing.

As Nicole gets inside her home the lights are blinking on and off and the phone is ringing. Nicole went into the kitchen and answers the phone. "Hello?" she said. But there is no answer. She puts the phone down and wanders further into the kitchen. The lights were still blinking. "Sharon?" The lights come back on."Shar?" Still no response. Nicole then leaves the kitchen.

As Nicole reached the 2nd floor she halts, her eyes warily scanning around, then she continues down the hall toward us, and opens the door to Anais's bedroom.

There is silence as Nicole stands by the door a moment. She hugs herself, shivering from the cold as Anais is sound asleep and uncovered from the bed sheets. Nicole then notices the window is open. "Shit." She whispered not wanting to wake her daughter up. She went to the window and closes it but still felt cold. She then walks to Anais and pulls the covers back over her.

After doing that Nicole leaves the room and softly closes Anais's door. She then walks toward the stairs when she hear the front door close "Sharon!" Nicole called downstairs. Sharon enters the house with a brown pharmacy bag. "What the hell are you doing going out and leaving Anais by herself! Her window was wide open-"

"What didn't he tell you?" Sharon said interrupting her.

"Didn't who tell me?" Nicole asked.

"Burke." Sharon replied.

"What's Burke got to do with it?" Nicole asked.

"Well, when I went to get the Thorazine I had him to stay with her and...Oh, I should have known better." Sharon replied.

"Yeah, well I guess you should've." Nicole said as she hangs up her jacket. Suddenly the doorbell rings.

"What did the doctor say?" Sharon asked.

"We have to start looking for a shrink." She said as she opens the door. It reveals the assistant director.

"Hi Charlie, c'mon in." Nicole said inviting him in.

"I suppose you've heard." The cloud creature said.

"Heard what?" Nicole said. Charlie then takes his hat off and holds it to his chest.

"You haven't heard." Charlie said. Nicole turns around to face him and looks baffled. "Burke's dead." There was a short silence. "He must have been drunk. He fell down from the top of the steps right outside, by the time he hit 'M' Street he'd broken his neck." That made Nicole puts her hands to her mouth.

"Oh God!" Nicole said breaking into tears and presses up against the wall. Charlie then gently hugs her from behind.

"Yeah, I know." Charlie said backing away. "I'll see you later." He said as he leaves the house.

"Oh Burke! Poor Burke!" Nicole said depressed.

"I can't believe it." Sharon said. Nicole lowers her brow into her hand, leaning against the door. She then shakes her head, exhales.

"I guess everything-"

She stops staring with horror at something coming from the stairs. It's was Anais on all fours. She's gliding, spider-like, noiselessly and swiftly, down the staircase. She halts directly at the bottom staring at Sharon. Sharon is shocked and eyes fixed on Anais. Anais's tongue begins to flicker rapidly in and out of her mouth. She crawls very speedily toward Sharon with her tongue sticking out. Sharon screams and runs toward the door, as Nicole falls on Anais trying to hold her back. "Call the doctor!" Nicole shouted. Everything goes black.

"Now when I touch your forehead, open your eyes." a man said.

Later

We find a psychiatrist with two fingers wiping Anais brow. "Are you comfortable Anais?" the psychiatrist asked.

"Yes." Anais replied.

"How old are you?" he asked.

"Four." she replied.

"Is there someone inside you?" he asked.

"Sometimes." she responded.

"Who is it?" he asked.

"I don't know." she replied.

"Is it Captain Howdy?" he asked.

"I don't know." she replied.

"If I ask him to tell me, will you let him answer?" he asked as Nicole and Dr. Butt watch whats happening.

"No." she replied.

"Why not?" he asked.

"I'm afraid." she replied.

"If he talks to me, I think he'll leave you. Do you want him to leave you?" he asked hoping she would cooperate.

"Yes." she responded.

"I'm talking to the person inside of Anais now. If you are there you too are hypnotised and must answer all my questions. Come forward answer me now." the psychiatrist said. Suddenly a framed picture of Anais drops to the floor. Anais then starts growling like a wild animal. Nicole and Dr. Butt both cover their nose and mouth as if a foul stench is circulating the room. "Are you the person inside of Anais?" Anais's eyes are fixed on the psychiatrist. Her arm is propped up like a cobra ready to strike. "Who are you?" Anais's hand drops and grips the psychiatrists scrotum, squeezing like a vice. "ARGHHHH" he screamed in pain "HAROLD! HELP ME!" Dr. Butt grabs Anais and pulls her away. Anais falls back and screams extremely loud.

* * *

We find ourselves at the university where we find Hugo in his training gear running laps. Seated on a bench at the edge of the track, watching Hugo, a giant donut. Steve seems curious, if not disturbed, by the donut's presence. When Hugo stops, panting, the donut rises and moves toward him. "Father Small?" the large donut said as Hugo picks up his towel and wipes his brow.

"Have we met?" Steve asked.

"No we haven't met, but they said I could tell that you looked like a boxer." the donut then shows his badge. "Lt. Harold H. Donut. Homicide."

"What's this about?" Steve asked.

"Yeah, it's true. You do look like a boxer. Like John Garfield, in Body and Soul. Exactly John Garfield anyone told you that Father?" he asked.

"Do people tell you look like pink donut?" Hugo said.

"Always." Steve walks away toward the campus. The donut then follows him. "Well you know this director was doing a film here, Burke Dennings?"

"I've seen him." Steve said.

"You've seen him. You're also familiar with how last week he died?" the donut asked.

"Only what I read in the papers." Steve replied.

"Papers...Tell me, what do you know about the subject of witchcraft? From the witching end, not the hunting." he asked.

"I once did a paper on it" Steve replied.

"Really?" the donut said.

"From the psychiatric end." Steve said.

"I know. I read it. These desecration's in the church…you think they have anything to do with witchcraft?" the donut asked.

"Maybe. Some rituals used in Black Mass. Maybe." Steve responded.

"And Dennings, you read how he died?" he asked.

"Yeah, a fall." Steve said. The donut then stops.

"Let me tell you how Father, and please confidential...Burke Dennings, good Father, was found at the bottom of those steps leading to 'M' Street, with his head turned completely around. Facing backwards." he explained. That made Steve think.

"Couldn't it of happened on the fall." Steve said.

"It's possible. Possible however-"

"Unlikely." Steve said finishing what the donut was saying.

"Exactly. So on the one hand we've got a witchcraft type of murder and a Black Mass style of desecration in the church." he explained.

"You think the killer and the desecration are the same?" Steve asked.

"Maybe somebody crazy, someone with a spite against the church, some unconscious rebellion, perhaps." the donut said.

"Sick priest, is that it?" Steve asked.

"Look, Father this is hard for you please. But for priests on the campus here, you're the psychiatrist. You'd know who was sick at the time, who wasn't. I mean this kind of sickness. You'd know that." the donut said.

"I don't know anyone who fits the description." Steve said.

"Ah, doctor's ethics. If you knew you wouldn't tell, huh?" the donut asked.

"No I probably wouldn't." Steve said.

"Not to bother you with trivia, but a psychiatrist in sunny California was thrown in jail for not telling the judge what he knew about a patient." the donut said.

"Is that a threat?" Steve asked.

"No, I mentioned it only in passing." the donut said.

"Incidentally I mention only in passing that I could tell the judge that it was a matter of confession." Steve said before walking off toward his dormitory and the donut chases him.

"Hey, Father? You like movies?" the donut asked.

"Very much." Steve replied.

"I get passes to the best shows in town. Mrs. D though, she gets tired and never likes to go." he explained.

"That's to bad." Steve said.

"Yeah, I hate to go alone. You know, I like to talk film. Discuss the critique. Do you wanna see a film with me? I got passes to The Crest. It's Othello." the donut said.

"Who's in it?" Steve asked.

"Who's in it? Debbie Reynolds, Desdemona, and Othello, Groucho Marx. You happy?" he asked.

"I've seen it." Steve replied.

"One last time: Can you think of some priest who fits the bill?" the donut asked.

"Come on!" Steve said.

"Answer the question, Father Paranoia." the donut said.

"Alright. You know who I think really did it?" Steve asked.

"Who?" the donut asked.

"The Dominicans. Go pick on them." Steve said.

"I could have you deported, you know that?" the donut said. But all Hugo did was walks to the front door. "I LIED!" that made Steve turns around. "YOU LOOK LIKE SAL MINEO!" Steve just smiles and walks inside.

* * *

We find ourselves at the Barringer Clinic where the director of the clinic is talking to Nicole. "It looks like a type of disorder that you rarely ever see anymore, except in primitive cultures." the clinic director explained. He shows Anais on a monitor screen. She's in another fit, in bed and restrained by straps. "We call it a somnambulism possession." While he was talking Anais was trying to escape still screaming with slightly visible welts on her face. She then lies on the bed flat on her back mumbling to herself. "Quite frankly, we don't know much about it except that it's starts with some conflict or guilt that eventually leads to the patient's delusion that his body's been invaded by an alien intelligence; a spirit if you will."

"Look, I'm telling you again and you'd better believe it, I'm not about to put her in a goddamn asylum!" Nicole said.

"It's-"

"And I don't care what you call it! I'm not putting her away!" Nicole said.

"I'm sorry." the director said.

"YOU'RE SORRY. CHRIST, EIGHTY-EIGHT DOCTORS AND ALL YOU CAN TELL ME IS ALL OF YOUR BULLSHIT..." Nicole then stops herself trying to calm down. The director of the clinic thinks for a while until he thought of a solution.

"There is one outside chance of a cure. I think of it as shock treatment. As I say, there is an outside chance-"

"Will you just name it, for God's sake? What is it?" Nicole demanded.

"Do you have any religious beliefs?" a male doctor asked.

"No." Nicole said.

"What about your daughter?" a female doctor said.

"No, why?" Nicole asked.

"Have you ever heard of exorcism?" the director asked. Nicole just looks at him baffled. "It's a stylized ritual in which rabbis or priests try to drive out the so-called invading spirit. It's pretty much discarded these days, except by the Catholics who keep it in the closet as a sort of embarrassment. It has worked, in fact, although not for the reason they think, of course. It was purely the force of suggestion. The victim's belief in possession helped cause it; and just in the same way this belief in the power of exorcism can make it disappear."

"You're telling me that, I should take my daughter to a witch doctor? Is that it?" Nicole asked. The Director nods.

Later

We find ourselves at the house where Bert is exiting his car and opening the rear door while Sharon gets out of the car. Bert reaches in and picks up a small figure that is Anais wrapped in a blanket from Nicole's car. While they entered the house the giant pink donut is examining the area where Burke was found dead. He walks to the steep concrete steps and looks up them.

* * *

We find Anais tucked up in bed. Nicole then moves slowly forward to the bedside and looks down at Anais. She then leans and tenderly adjusts her pillow. In the process, she uncovers a crucifix under it. She lifts it out, examining it.

* * *

We find the donut beginning to climb the stairs but stops and turns back. He looks down in a small ditch beside the steps. He clears the grass with his feet and reaches down for something. He picks up a small sculpture of an animal made of clay. He examines it and then climbs the steps.

* * *

Nicole leaves Anais's room and approaches Bert who is descending the stairs. Nicole leans over the bannister. "Bert? Did you put this in Regan's bedroom?" Nicole asked.

"She is going to be well?" he replied.

"Bert if you put this in Anais's room I want you to tell me, now did you?" Nicole said.

"No. It wasn't me. I didn't." he responded. She then goes downstairs to confronted both Sharon and Karren in the study. She then shows the crucifix to them. "This was under Regan's pillow. Did you put it there?" Nicole asked.

"Of course I didn't." Sharon said.

"I didn't put it." Karren said as Bert enters the room.

"Excuse me Miss?" Bert said.

"WHAT!" Nicole shouted.

"A man to see you." Bert said.

"WHAT MAN?" Nicole asked. Bert leads her to the front of the house where she sees a giant pink donut hat in his hand. So they both Nicole and the giant donut both sit in the kitchen with coffee cups in hand.

"Does your daughter remember if perhaps Mr. Dennings was in her room in her room that night?" the donut asked.

"Why do you ask?" Nicole asked.

"Just thought she would remember." the donut said.

"No, she was heavily sedated." Nicole said.

"It's serious?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm afraid it is." she replied.

"May I ask?" he asked.

"We still don't know." Nicole said.

"Watch out for drafts. A draft in the fall when the house is hot is a magic carpet for bacteria." he said as Bert enters the room.

"Excuse me Madame? Will there be anything else?" he asked.

"No thanks Bert." Nicole said. Bert just stands in the room. Then Nicole turns to him. "It's okay Bert." that made him leave.

"Strange...strange...so baffling. The deceased comes to visit, stays only twenty minutes, and leaves all alone a very sick girl. And speaking plainly Mrs. Watterson, as you say, it's not likely he would fall from a window. Besides that, a fall wouldn't do to his neck what we found except maybe a chance in a thousand. My hunch? My opinion? I believe he was killed by a very powerful man. Point one. And the fracturing of the skull - Point two - plus the various things I have mentioned, would make it very probable. Probable, not certain that the deceased was killed and then pushed from your daughter's window. But no one was here except your daughter. So how could this be? It could be one way. If someone came calling between the time Miss Spencer left and the time you returned. The servants, they have visitors?" he explained.

"No. Not at all," Nicole said.

"You were expecting a deliver why that day?" he asked.

"Not that I know of." Nicole replied.

"Groceries maybe? A package?" the donut asked.

"I really wouldn't know, you see Bert takes care of that." Nicole said.

"Oh, I see." he said.

"Want to ask him?" she asked.

"Never mind." he said as Nicole stands up.

"Would you like some more coffee?" she asked.

"Please." he said following Nicole further into the kitchen. He notices some of Anais's artwork. He picks up a small sculpted Turtle and examines it. "That's cute." that made Nicole looks over at the donut. "Your daughter, she's the artist?" Nicole smiles after that. She then hands him the coffee. "Incidentally, just a chance in a million, I know. But your daughter you could possibly ask her if she saw Mr. Dennings in her room that night?"

"Look, he wouldn't have any reason to be up there in the first place." Nicole said.

"I know that. I realize. But if a certain British doctor never asked 'What's this fungus?' we wouldn't today have penicillin. Correct?" he asked.

"When she's well enough, I'll ask." she replied.

"Couldn't hurt. In the meantime..." the donut stops embarrassed. "I hate to ask you this but... for my daughter could you maybe give an autograph?"

"Of course. Have you got a pen?" Nicole asked. The donut then pulls out a pen and a calling card and gives them to her.

"Oh, she'd love it." he said.

"What's her name?" she asked. The donut hesitates. His eyes are desperate and defiant.

"I lied. It's for me. The spelling is on the back." he said as she starts to write. "You know that film you made called Angel? I saw that six times."

"Really? wow." she said as she hands him the card and pen.

"Thank you!" he said thanking her. He then heads towards the door trying to get his coat on. Then Nicole helps him out with it. "You're a very nice lady." Nicole then gives his hat to him. "Thank you."

"You're a nice man." Nicole said opening the front door.

"I'll come back when she's feeling better." he said as he leaves. Nicole then closes the door and locks it. She holds her hands to her mouth and slowly walks away. Suddenly a crash from Anais's room, followed by loud voices.

"Please! No!" Anais begged.

"**Do it!**" a male voice said.

"Please no!" Anais said.

"**You bitch! Do it! Do it!**" the male voice said. Nicole then races up the stairs and runs to Anais's room.

"No! Please! No!" Anais begged. Nicole opens the door and sees objects rapidly flying around the room. She hears Anais scream one more time and turns to Anais and covers her mouth with horror.

"**Let Jesus fuck you!**" Anais said only with a male voice. Anais has the crucifix gripped in her hand and is plunging it into her bloodied bunny vagina. There are fresh cuts all over her face, streaming with blood. "**Let Jesus fuck you! Let him fuck you!**" Nicole runs over to Anais and tries to pry the crucifix from her hand. They struggle for the crucifix. Anais then grabs Nicole's head and pushes it into her bloodied crotch. "Lick me! Lick me!" Nicole's face gets up covered with Anais's blood. Anais then slaps her mother and sends her flying to the floor making the cat scream in pain. Then Sharon and Karren hurried up the stairs.

"Nicole?" Sharon said as the door closes by itself being held shut by a chair. Both Karren and Sharon bang on the door trying to get in. Nicole then looks up she sees that Anais's wardrobe is moving toward her. The blue cat the quickly scurries out of the way. Then Anais who is sitting on her bed spun her head in a 180-degree angle, facing Nicole. Nicole looks up at her.

"_Do you know what she did, your cunting daughter?_" Anais said with Burke's voice. Nicole turns away and screams bursting into tears.

Later

We find Nicole at the bridge alone wearing oversized dark glasses. Father Small approaches her wearing khakis, a sweater and sturdy, and scuffled tennis shoes. "Nicole Watterson?" he said.

"Please go away." Nicole asked.

"I'm Father Small." he said. Nicole then turns around and shakes his hand.

"Oh, I'm very sorry Father. Hi." she said.

"That's okay. I should've told you I wouldn't be in uniform." he said.

"Yeah, it would've helped. Have you gotta cigarette Father?" she asked. Hugo searches his pocket and pulls out a pack of cigarettes. Nicole then takes one and Small lights it for her. They walk down the steps to the canal side. "So, how'd a shrink ever get to be a priest?"

"It's the other way around. The society sent me through med school." he explained.

"Where?" she asked.

"Harvard, Bellevue, John Hopkins." he said.

"You're a friend of Father Bob, right?" she asked.

"Yes am." Steve said.

"Pretty close?" she asked.

"Pretty close." he replied.

"Did he tell you about my party?" she asked.

"Sure did." he replied.

"About my daughter?" she asked.

"No I didn't know you had one." he responded.

"He didn't mention?" she asked.

"No." he said.

"Didn't tell you of what she did?" Nicole asked.

"He didn't mention her." Steve said.

"Priests keep pretty tight mouthed than?" Nicole asked.

"That depends." he replied.

"On what?" she asked.

"The priest." he responded.

"I mean, what if a person, let's say, was a criminal, like maybe a murderer or something, you know? If he came to you for help, would you have to turn him in?" she asked.

"If he came to me for spiritual help, I'd say no." he replied.

"You wouldn't." she asked.

"No I wouldn't. But I'd try to persuade him to turn himself in." he said.

"And how do you go about getting an exorcism?" she asked.

"I beg your pardon?" he asked confused.

"If a person was possessed by a demon of some kind, how do you go about getting an exorcism?" Nicole asked.

"Well, the first thing I'd do is put them into a time machine and send them back to the sixteenth century." Steve said.

"I didn't get you?" she said.

"Well it just doesn't happen anymore Mrs. Watterson." he said.

"Oh yeah, since when?" she asked.

"Since we learned about mental illness, paranoia, schizophrenia. All the things they taught me in Harvard. Mrs. Watterson since the day I joined the Jesuits, I've never met one priest who has performed an exorcism, not one." he explained.

"Yeah well, it just so happens that somebody very close to me is probably possessed, and needs an exorcist." she said bursting into tears. "Father Small it's my little girl." Steve then grabs Nicole's arm and walks her over to a bench. They both sit with Nicole is still crying.

"That's all the more reason to forget about exorcism." he said.

"Why, I don't understand?" she said still crying.

"To begin with it could make things worse." he said.

"But how?" Nicole asked.

"Well before the church approves an exorcism, it conducts an investigation to see if it's warranted. That takes time. In the meantime-"

"You could do it yourself." she asked.

"No I couldn't, I have to have church approval, and frankly, that's rarely given." he said.

"Could you see her?" she asked.

"Yes I could, I could see her as a psychiatrist-"

"NOT A PSYCHIATRIST! SHE NEEDS A PRIEST! SHE'S ALREADY SEEN EVERY FUCKING PSYCHIATRIST IN THE WORLD AND THEY SENT ME TO YOU, NOW YOU'RE GONNA SEND ME BACK TO THEM! JESUS CHRIST, WON'T SOMEBODY HELP HER!" she said.

"No, you don't understand. Your daughter-"

"OH, WILL YOU HELP HER! JUST HELP HER!" Nicole said bursting into tears again and buries her head into Hugo's shoulder. Steve puts his arm around her.

Later

We find Nicole and Steve ascending the staircase. When they reach the door they see Bert holding a huge headboard with straps and padding on it. "It wants no straps." Bert said. Steve stares at him, then gives Nicole a look. He plucks up his courage and enters the room.

As he enters he stops as he sees Anais, on the bed, arms held down by a set of restraining straps, it seems no longer entirely Anais but something somehow demonic that now lies on the bed and stares at him. Her face is puffy, scratched and bruised from self-mutilation. There is a sustagen flask used for a naso-gastric feeding, the tube is placed up her left nostril. Steve is momentarily taken aback. Then reining in his revulsion, he slowly and warily closes the door behind him and walks around the other side of the bed. "Hello Anais. I'm a friend of your mother, I'd like to help you." he said.

"**You might loosen the straps then.**" the demon who is possessing Anais said.

"I'm afraid you might hurt yourself Anais." Steve said.

"**I'm not Anais.**" the possessed rabbit said.

"I see. Well then let's introduce ourselves, I'm Steve Small." Steve said.

"**And I'm the Devil! Now kindly undo these straps!**" the possessed rabbit said.

"If you're the devil, why not make the straps disappear?" Steve asked.

"**That's much to vulgar a display of power Steve.**" the demon replied.

"Where's Anais?" Steve asked.

"**In here. With us.**" the demon replied.

"Show me Regan and I'll loosen one of the straps." Steve said.

"_Can you help an old altar boy Fa-dah?_" the rabbit said in the voice of the homeless guy he ran into. Steve looks at Anais puzzled by what she has just said. He sits down on a chair beside the window.

"**Your mother's in here with us Small, would you like to leave a message? I'll see that she gets it.**" the demon said.

"If that's true, then you must know my mother's maiden name. What is it?" Steve asked. Anais keeps a sharp stare on Steve. Steve's smile turns to an angry stare. He stands up and moves to her bed side. "What is it?" Anais then leans forward and vomits a disgusting, green bile in Steve's face. He wipes it off coughing. Anais keeps her eyes fixed on him, with green vomit covering her night-gown.

Later

We find Steve in the basement looking through some of Anais's drawings. Nicole then appears with his now clean sweater. She hands it to him. "Thanks. Look, I'm only against the possibility of doing your daughter more harm than good." Steve said.

"Nothing you could do would make it any worse." Nicole said.

"I can't do it. I need evidence that the church would accept as signs of possession." Steve said.

"Like what?" Nicole asked.

"Like her speaking in a language that she's never known or studied." Steve replied.

"What else?" Nicole asked.

"I don't know. I'll have to look it up." Steve said.

"I thought you were supposed to be an expert." Nicole said.

"There are no experts. You probably know as much about possession than most priests. Look your daughter doesn't say she's a demon, she says she's the devil himself and if you've seen as many psychotics as I have, you'd know it's like saying you're Napoleon Bonaparte. You ask me what I think is best for your daughter. Six months, under observation in the best hospital you can find." he explained.

"You show me Anais's double. Same face, same voice, same everything. I'd know it wasn't Anais. I'd know in my gut and I'm telling you that thing upstairs isn't my daughter! And I want you to tell me that you know for a fact that there's nothing wrong with my daughter except in her mind! You tell me you know for a fact that an exorcism wouldn't do any good! You tell me that!" Nicole said.

Steve then leaves the basement and heads to the front door. Nicole opens the door for him and he steps out on the stoop carrying his sweater. "Did Anais know a priest was coming over?" Steve asked.

"No." Nicole said.

"Did you know my mother died recently?" Steve said.

"Yes I did, I'm sorry." Nicole said feeling bad for him.

"No, is Anais aware of it?" he asked.

"Not at all. Why do you ask?" she asked.

"It's not important good night." Steve said as he exits the gates and crosses the street. While he was walking the giant donut was in an unmarked car watching Steve cross the street. The donut then looks up to Anais's window and sees a silhouette moving around.

The Next Day

We find Steve performing a service in the church. "_He broke the bread, gave it to his disciples and said 'Take this, all of you and eat. For this is my body.' When the supper had ended, he took the cup, again he gave you thanks and praise. Gave the cup to his disciples and said 'Take this, all of you will drink from it, this is the cup of blood, the blood of the new and ever lasting covenant and the mystery of faith'._"

* * *

"**What an excellent day for an exorcism.**" the possessed bunny said. Steve then pulls a tape recorder out of his bag and props a microphone on her bed near her. Steve then sits on a chair next to her wardrobe.

"You'd like that?" Steve asked.

"**Intensely.**" the demon said.

"But wouldn't that drive you out of Anais?" Steve asked.

"**It would bring us together.**" the demon said.

"You and Anais?" Steve asked.

"**You and us.**" the demon said as the bureau drawer flies open on it's own.

"Did you do that?" Steve asked.

"**Uh huh.**" the demon said. Steve then pushes the drawer back in.

"Do it again." Steve said.

"**In time.**" the demon said.

"No now." Steve said.

"**In time. But mirabile dictu, don't you agree?**" the demon said. Steve then presses record on the tape recorder.

"You speak Latin?" Steve asked.

"**Ego te abslovo.**" the demon said.

"Quod nomen mihi est?" Steve said.

"**Bon Jour.**" the demon said.

"Quod nomen mihi est?" Steve asked.

"**La plume de ma tante.**" the demon said as he laughs full and mockingly.

"How long are you planning to stay in Anais?" Steve asked.

"**Until she rots and lie stinking in the earth.**" the demon said. Steve then pulls out a small vial of water. "**What's that?**"

"Holy water." Steve said as he moves to the end of the bed.

"**You keep it away.**" the demon said shocked. Steve uncaps the vial and sprinkles its contents over Anais. Instantly, Anais writhes in pain and terror. "**AHHHHHHHHHHH! AHHHHHHH! IT BURNS! OHHHH! IT BURNS!**" Anais's head falls back onto the pillow as she rolls her head from side to side shouting. "**Emit su evig!**" Steve is intrigued and sits on the bed beside her. He moves the microphone up to her mouth an listens. "**Ydob eht ni mraw si ti! Uoy ees I! Tseirp a si eh! Emit su evig! Nirrem! Nirrem!**"

"Who are you?" Steve asked.

"**Tseirp a si eh! Eno on ma I! Eno on ma I! Ahhhhhhhhhhh!**" the demon said.

Later

Steve descends the stairs as we hear Nicole on the phone with someone. Steve waits outside until Nicole is finished. "Okay, I'll talk to you some other time...No it's just that I'm going through something and...No, no there's nothing...Thanks alot. Bye." Nicole hangs up the phone and Hugo enters and sits on the couch. "Wanna drink."

"Please." Steve said.

"What do you drink?" Nicole asked as she walks to the drinks cabinet.

"Scotch, Ice, water." Steve said. Nicole then pours the drink.

"No ice. I'll get some from the kitchen." Nicole said walking toward the kitchen but Steve stops her.

"No it's alright I'll take it straight." Steve said.

"Are you sure?" Nicole asked.

"It's fine really, sit." Steve said making Nicole sits down. "Where's Regan's father?"

"In Europe." Nicole said.

"Have you told him what's happening?" Steve asked.

"No" Nicole said.

"Well I think you should. He holds up the empty vial." Steve explained. "I told Anais that was holy water, I sprinkled some on her and she reacted very violently. It's tap water."

"What's the difference?" Nicole asked.

"Holy water's blessed. And that doesn't help support a case for possession." Steve explained. Nicole then turns her head away and frowns. She then looks at Steve again. She then whispered something.

"What?" Steve asked.

"She killed Burke Dennings. She pushed him out of the window." Nicole said. Steve looks at her shocked.

Later

We find Steve in a lab with the lab director where they are listening to the recording of Anais. Steve is tense. The director then stops the tape. "It's a language alright. It's english." he said. That made Steve stand up.

"What do you mean english?" Steve asked.

"It's english in reverse, listen." The lab director said as he turns a switch and the tape starts again, in perfect english.

"_**Give us time! Let her die!**_" the recording of the demon said. Steve is listening to the eerie, unearthly voices on the tape. "_**I am no one! I am no one! He is a priest!**_"

"_Uoy era ohw._" Steve said backwards in the tape.

"_**Robinson! Robinson!**_" Steve stops the tape and rewinds it slightly and plays it again. "_**I am no one! I am no one! He is a priest!**_"

"_Uoy era ohw._" Steve said in the tape. Then the phone rings and startles him. He answers the phone. "Yeah, yes?...I'll be right there."

Later

It's very late and Steve is running down the street. He comes to the gate of the Watterson's house. Sharon opens the gate. She's holding a flashlight and she puts her finger on her lips for quiet. They both go up the stairs and creep toward Anais's room. "I don't want Nicole to see this." Sharon whispered to him.

"Well what's wrong? What is it?" he asked. They stop at Anais's door. Sharon puts her coat on and turns on the flash light. She opens the door and they enter. As soon as they are inside Sharon closes the door behind them. Steve then notices that it is extreme cold. His breath, like Sharon's, is frosttily condensing in the chill air of the room. He looks at Sharon with wonder. They both approach the bedside. They stop by the bed. Anais seems to be in a coma, heavily breathing. Sharon is bending, gently pulling Anais's pajama top wide apart, exposing her stomach. Sharon points the flashlight at Regan's stomach. Hugo looks in shock when we see on her stomach, rising up slowly on her skin are two words

HELP ME

Steve's eyes are fixed on these two words as we once again see them on Anais's stomach.

The Next Day

We find Steve at the University walking down the hall toward the stairway. He climbs the stairs goes to the top. He enters the room and see's the Cardinal. He then explains the situation to him. "You're convinced that it's genuine." the Cardinal said.

"I don't know. No, not really I suppose. But I've made a prudent judgement that it meets the conditions set down in the Ritual." Steve explained.

"You'd want to do the exorcism yourself?" the cardinal asked.

"Yes." Steve said.

"It might be best to have a man with experience. Maybe someone who's spent time in the foreign missions." he said.

"I see, your excellency." Steve said.

"Let's see whose around. In the meantime I'll call you as soon as I know." the Cardinal said.

"Thank you your excellency." Steve said standing up and kisses the Cardinal's hand.

Later

"Well, he does know the background. I doubt there's any danger in just having him assist. There should be a psychiatrist present, anyway." Brown said.

"And what about the exorcist? Any ideas?" the cardinal asked.

"How about Gaylord Robinson." Brown suggested.

"Robinson? I had notion he was over in Iraq. I think I read he was working on a dig around Nineveh." the cardinal said.

"That's right Mike. But he's finished and came back around three to four months ago, He's in Woodstock now." Brown said.

"What's he doing there? Teaching?" the cardinal asked.

"No, he's working on another book." Brown said.

"Don't you think he's too old, though? How's his health?" the cardinal asked.

"It must be alright. He's still running around digging up tombs. Besides, he's had experience." Brown explained.

"I didn't know that." the cardinal asked.

"Ten maybe twelve years ago, in Africa. The exorcism supposedly lasted for months. I heard it damn near killed him." Brown said.

Later that Night

A cab pulls up to the Watterson's house in long shot. Out of the cab steps a tall, old priest, carrying a battered valise. A hat obscures his face. As the cab pulls away, the priest stands rooted in the mist, staring up at the second floor window like a melancholy traveler frozen in time. He knocks on the door and Nicole opens the door disclosing the priest, face still shaded by the hat, and Roman collar by coat buttoned at the top. "Mrs. Watterson?" he asked.

"Yes." Nicole said.

"I'm Father Robinson." he said.

"Come in." Nicole said as Robinson enters and takes off his hat and coat.

"Is Father Small here?" he asked. Hugo then enters the room as Nicole takes Robinson's hat and coat.

"Yes. He's already here." Nicole said.

"Father?" Steve said as Robinson walks over to greet him.

"Father Small." he said as they shake hands.

"It's an honour to meet you Father." Steve said as they both look up as the scream of the demon, booming, amplifying, comes from Anais's room.

"**ROBINSON! ROBINSON! Are you tired?**" the demon said.

"No." Steve said.

"I would like you to go quickly over to the residence Hugo, and gather up a cassock for myself, two surplices, a purple stole, and some holy water, and your copy of The Roman Ritual. The large one. I believe we should begin." he explained.

"Do you want to hear the background of the case, first?" Steve asked.

"Why?" he asked. Steve then runs to the university and down the steps carrying a the cassocks and a large case. "Especially important is the warning to avoid conversation with the demon." Robinson said as Steve continues to run.

Small and Robinson are dressing in vestments taken from the case. "We may ask what is relevant, but anything beyond that is dangerous. He is a liar, the demon is a liar. He will lie to confuse us. But he will also mix lies with the truth to attack us. The attack is psychological, Hugo. And powerful. So don't listen, remember that, do not listen." he explained.

"I think it would be helpful if I gave you some background on the different personalities Anais has manifested. So far, there seems to be three. She's convinced-"

"There's only one." Robinson said interrupting him. They soon both head up the stairs fully vested with the Roman Rituals in hand. They can hear the demon making horrible, growling noises in the room. The priests approach Nicole and Sharon, bundled in sweaters. The priests halt, and look at Nicole. Then Robinson opens the door and sees Anais staring at him with burning eyes. Robinson steps into the room followed by Small. Steve then closes the door on Nicole before she walks in. Robinson then walks to the side of the bed and Steve halts at the foot. The room is freezing. Breath is condensing throughout. Robinson then lays his holy water on the bedside table, takes a crucifix out of a leather case. Then traces the sign of the cross at Anais. She looks up.

"**Stick your cock up her ass! You mother fucking, worthless cocksucker!**" the demon said.

"Be silent!" Robinson said sprinkling some holy water on her. That made her throw her head back and cry in pain. Robinson then leans down beside her and opens up The Roman Ritual. "_Our Father who art in heaven..._" Anais then spits and hits Robinson in the eye with a yellowish glob of mucus that slowly oozes down his cheek. Steve quickly hides behind the bed post as Robinson pulls out a handkerchief and unhurriedly wipes away the spittle. "_Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation._"

"_But deliver us from the evil one._" Steve said joining the ritual. Anais then starts coughing and groaning as the two priests continue with the ritual.

"_Save me o' God by thy name, by thy might defend my cause, proud men have risen up against me, men of violence seek my life, but God is my helper, the Lord sustains my life and every need he has delivered to me, glory be to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit._"

"_As it was in the begin is now and ever shall be, world without end, amen._" Steve said saying the next verse.

"_Save your servant_"

"_Who places her trust in thee, my God._"

_"Be unto her o' Lord a fortified tower." _

_"In the face of the enemy._" Anais raises her head and screams at Robinson several times.

"_Let the enemy have no power over her._"

"_And the son of iniquity be powerless to harm her._"

"**Your mother sucks cocks in hell Small, you faithless slime!**" the demon said.

"_O'Lord hear my prey._"

"_And let my cry come unto thee._"

"_The Lord be with you._" Robinson said to Steve.

"_And also with you._" Steve said to him.

"Let us pray." Robinson said before beginning. "_Holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who once and for all consigned that fallen tyrant to the flames of hell. Who sent your only begotten son into the world to crush that roaring lion._" Anais's bed then starts to jump up and down, crashing onto the floor while Anais continues to scream at the two priests. "_Hasten to our call for help and snatch from ruination and from the clutches of the noonday devil, this human being made in your image and likeness. Strike terror Lord, into the beast, now laying waste your vineyard, let your mighty hand cast him out of your servant, Anais Rae Watterson, so he may no longer hold captive this person, whom it pleased you to make in your image._" Robinson then sprinkles more holy water on Anais. That made her fall back crying in pain. "_And to redeem through your son. Who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the holy spirit, God forever and ever._"

"_Amen_" Steve said.

"_O'Lord hear my prayer._" Robinson said. To Steve's surprise the bed begins to rise. Robinson waits for Steve's response, but he is frozen with shock as the bed rises past his face. "Father Small? Father Small? Steve? The response please Steve!"

"_And let my cry come unto thee._" the bed then crashes back to the floor with Anais still screaming and writhing in pain.

"_Almighty Lord, word of God the father Jesus Christ, God and Lord of all creation, who gave to your holy apostle the power to tramp underfoot serpents and scorpions. Grant me, your unworthy servant pardon for all my sins..._"

"**Bastards! Stop!**" the demon said staring at Father Small and snakes her abnormally long tongue in and out at him.

"_...and the power to confront this cruel demon._"

"_Amen_" Steve said causing Anais to fall back on her pillow and begin to groan. Both priests trace the sign of the cross. Robinson holds his purple stole to Anais's cheek as green vomit slowly oozes from her mouth. Anais turns her head and vomits on the stole.

"_See the cross of the Lord. Be gone you hostile power. O'Lord hear my prayer._"

"_And let my cry come unto thee._"

"_The Lord be with you._"

"_And also with you._" Steve concluded. Robinson then takes the bile covered stole from around his neck and hands it to Steve who quickly washes it in Anais's bathroom. We hear banging, as cupboard doors open against the wall. Anais is flat on her back laughing wickedly. Robinson holds his hands to his ears because of the noise. Steve then hands the stole back to Robinson, who kisses it before applying around his neck. Anais continues to laugh as Robinson begins to cough violently.

"_I cast you out! Unclean spirit!_" Robinson said.

"**Shove it up your ass you faggot!**" the demon said.

"_...in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ! It is he who commands you! He who flung you from the heights of Heaven to the depths of hell!_"

"**Fuck him!**" the demon said.

"_...Be gone!_"

"**Fuck him Small! Fuck him!**" the demon said.

"_...from this creature of God!_" Anais then lays back as Robinson races to her bedside tracing the sign of the cross with his fingers in her hair. "_Be gone! In the name of the Father, and of the son, and of the holy spirit! By this sign of the holy cross, of our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with the father and the holy spirit..._" Anais sits up and with a nightmare slowness, a fraction at a time, her head begins to turn, swiveling like a mannequin's and creaking with the sound of a rusted mechanism. Once again Steve's attention is diverted. "STEVE!" Robinson said to prompt him. Suddenly Anais's head completely turns in a 360-degree turn and stares at Steve.

"_Amen._"

"_Defender of the human race..._" Suddenly a thunderous earthquake knock both priests to the ground. "_...look down in pity..._"

"**You killed your mother! You left her alone to die! She'll never forgive you! Bastard!**" the demon said to Steve.

"Shut up!" Steve shouted.

"_...upon this your servant, Anais Rae Watterson._" Another quake knocks them to the ground. Anais then falls back, the bed sheets fly off of the bed and the straps slowly rip apart. Then Anais's eyes roll back into the socket and she slowly starts to levitate. "_I command you by the judge of the living and the dead, to depart from this servant of God._" Anais is now levitating toward the ceiling, arms out stretched like a cross. "It's the power!" Robinson said. He then turns to Steve. "Holy water." Steve runs to the bedside table and grabs the bottle of holy water, he runs back and gives it to Robinson. "_It's the power of Christ, that compels you._"

"_The power of Christ compels you._" the two priests said at the same time as Robinson sprinkles holy water. "_The power of Christ compels you._" Robinson sprinkles holy water on Anais and a cut appear on her skin. "_The power of Christ compels you. The power of Christ compels you. The power of Christ compels you. The power of Christ compels you._" Anais then begins to descend. "_The power of Christ compels you. The power of Christ compels you. The power of Christ compels you. The power of Christ compels you. The power of Christ compels you. The power of Christ compels you. The power of Christ compels you._" Anais lands back on the bed once more. "_The power of Christ compels you._" Hugo then rushes to the bed and ties her hands together to symbolize the cross.

"_He brought you low by his bloodstained cross! Do not despise my command because you no me to be a sinner. It's God himself who commands you! The majestic Christ who commands! God the Father commands you! God the son commands you!_" Robinson said as Steve turns away, Anais raises her tied hands and deals him a powerful blow on the back of his head making him fall to the floor. "_God the holy spirit commands you!_" Robinson sprinkles more holy water on Anais making her fall back and scream in pain. "_The mystery of the cross commands you! The blood of the martyrs commands you!_" The priests are again knocked to the floor by an earthquake. Briefly Anais lifts herself toward an apparition of the demon statue Pazuzu. "_Give way to Christ, you prince of murderers. You're guilty, before Almighty God, guilty before his son, guilty before the whole human race. It's the Lord who expels you. He who is coming to judge both the living and the dead and the world by fire._" As Robinson kneels by the bed, Steve crawls over and covers Anais with a blanket. "Are you tired?" Robinson asked Steve. He nods. "Let's rest before we start again." Robinson then leaves the room, but Steve stays sat on the bed, shivering with both coldness and fear while Anais is asleep. Soon Steve leaves the room.

Both Robinson and Small are sitting in the hallway exhausted, on the stairs, outside the bathroom. "Why this girl it makes no sense?" Steve asked.

"I think the point is to make us dispair...To see our selves as...animal and ugly...To reject the possibility that God could love us." he explained. "Will you excuse me, Steve?" Robinson rises and moves toward the bathroom.

As Robinson enters the bathroom he sits on the toilet and takes out his pillbox. He extracts a nitroglycerin tablet and places it under his tongue. He is shaking with fear as he holds his head with exhaustion.

While Robinson was in there Steve moves back toward the bedroom and enters Anais's room.

Steve is shocked to see an instant apparition of his mother, laying on the bed in place of Anais. It vanishes and he moves toward Anais, who is shivering and drenched with sweat. "_Stewie, why you did this to me?_" Anais said in his mother's voice. Steve gets out a stethoscope and places it on Anais's chest. "_Please Stewie, I'm afraid._"

"You're not my mother." Steve said.

"_Stewie please!_" she said as Robinson re-enters the room.

"What is it?" Robinson asked Steve.

"Her heart." Steve replied.

"Can you give her something?" Robinson asked.

"She'll go into coma." Steve responded. Anais, in the voice of Steve's mother, speaks a few pleading phrases in Greek to Small. "YOU'RE NOT MY MOTHER!" he shouted.

"Don't listen." Robinson said.

"_Why, Stewie?_" she said. That made Steve breaks into convulsive sobbing.

"Steve." Robinson said.

"Stewie, please!" she said.

"Steve! Get out!" Robinson ordered. Hugo got off the bed and Robinson leads him out, and then re-enters the room himself. He sprinkles some holy water on Anais and kneels at her side. He holds her hand tightly. "_Our Father, who art in heaven..._"

* * *

Downstairs Steve was sitting brooding as Nicole enters. "Is it over?" Nicole asked. Hugo shakes his head negatively. "Is she gonna die?"

"No." he said firmly. He rises and starts ascending the stairs with renewed conviction. The doorbell rings and Nicole moves toward the door. Before opening she applies the chain lock on. She opens the door slowly and we see the donut staring at her from the gap.

While she dealt with him Steve re-enters Anais's room and sees Robinson's face down on her bed with Anais sitting up against the bottom right hand bed post as Steve pulls Robinson to the floor. He feels for Robinson's pulse, then tries frantically to pump life back into the priest with blows to his chest, but gives up when he realises Robinson is dead. He hears a giggle and turns to Anais. "YOU SON OF A BITCH!" He grabs her and pulls her to the floor. Then begins to punch her in the face and then shakes her and nearly strangles her in his fury. "TAKE ME! COME INTO ME! GOD DAMN YOU! TAKE ME! TAKE ME!" A gargantuan struggle is visible in the demonic features of Anais's face. Steve's face has taken on a demonic shade, and his eyes have turned bright green. She screams as Steve's body jerks back, apparently manipulated by some inner force, which now reaches toward Anais to strangle her. Steve fights the force for control of his body, and he screams, compelling it toward the window. "NO!" With his last anguished cry, he leaps out of the window and he lands on the ground he roll down the concrete steps outside and hit the floor at the bottom. His cry was immediately followed by frightened sobs and whimpers that are unmistakably those of an ordinary little girl.

"Mother...Mother...Mother...Mother..." Anais said crying. Nicole then rushes in and pauses to make sure that it's really Anais again. She's followed in by the giant donut.

"Annie?" She dashes over to where her daughter is cowering on the floor. She flings herself down on top of Anais, cradling her and crying in hysterical relief, as the donut looks at Hugo's body from the window, looks at Robinson's dead body on the floor and then looks at Nicole and Anais.

* * *

A crowd is gathering at the scene of an accident. Their attention is focused by a man lying in a pool of blood on the pavement at the foot of the steps under Anais's window. "Somebody fell at the bottom of the steps here!" a man said. Then Father Bob pushes through the crowd and kneels beside Hugo. Fighting back tears, he grasps Steve's hand and leans close to whisper in his ear.

"Do you want to make your confession? Are you sorry..." he said. "Are you sorry for having offended God, with all the sins of your past life?" he then breaks down for a moment, then starts administering the last rites "Ego to abslovo in nomine patris, et filli, et spiritus sancti. Amen." he said as a wailling siren signals the approach of an ambulance, Bob then weeps openly.

The Next Day

On a bright, sunny day, the pavement was now clean with no blood, or body at the bottom. As we find Sharon and Nicole briskly packing up last minute items before moving out.

"Where do you want this?" Sharon asked.

"What is it?" Nicole asked.

"Phonograph." Sharon replied.

"Storage." Nicole said. Sharon then puts it in one of the large cardboard boxes that are there. "I'm gonna miss you."

"Me too." Sharon said.

"Sure you won't change your mind?" Nicole asked. Sharon shakes her head. She reaches into her pocket and hands Nicole the St. Joseph medal.

"I found this in her room." Sharon said. Nicole takes it and puts in her pocket. "That's everything." Nicole then hugs her. After a long hug they sharon pulls away and walks to the foot of the stairs.

"Anais! C'mon honey we have to get going!" Nicole said as she headed to the car. While she headed out of the house Bert is loading the car with cases while Father Bob is standing outside the gates. As soon as Nicole exits the house and Bob moves toward her. "She doesn't remember a thing."

"That's good." Bob said. Then Anais exits the house and walks to Nicole.

"All done." the pink rabbit said.

"Honey this is Father Bob." Nicole said introducing him to her.

"Hi Father." Anais said.

"Hello." Bob said.

"Ready Mrs." Bert said. Nicole shakes Father Bob's hand.

"Goodbye Father. I call you." she said.

"Okay." Bob replied as Nicole gets into the car, but Anais stands staring at Bob's collar. She then leans forward and kisses Father Bob on the cheek. Not sure of what she has done, she retreats to the car. The car then drives out to the street and Father Bob waves goodbye. Then he walks out and Karren closes the gates. "Goodbye."

"Good bye Father." Karren said.

"I hope to see you again soon." he said.

"I hope so too." she said. Then the car stops.

"Father Bob?" Bob then rushes to the car. "I thought you'd like to keep this." She hands him Steve's St. Joseph medal. Bob then clutches it tightly. The car then drives on as Bob watches it drive off. Bob then walks down toward the top of the 'M' Street Steps and looks down there and frowns. Bob then turns away and walks back to Prospect Street.

**Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed this installment. Even though this is chapter is done there is still more to come. Happy Halloween! I'm SuperKamiGuruFTW and I'm signing off.**


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